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I spent the rest of the evening quietly memorizing everything, just leafing through books. From the outside, it might seem like I'm just wasting my time. Perhaps it is so. Maybe I should go to someone more knowledgeable, and if I were Harry Potter, I'd already be standing in front of Dumbledore's desk. What's the point, though? I bet I'd be told something like:

"Harry, my boy, I'm well aware that you've been through a difficult ordeal. It's not easy for any of us, and we'll get through it together. I can't help you now, unfortunately, but I can promise you that I will gather the necessary information, prepare myself, and I will be sure to tell you when the time comes. For now, go home to Privet Drive - the full moon is coming soon."

Hehe. Thoughts like that made me smile inadvertently.

"Mr. Knight," Madame Pince's voice distracted me from my books, and I turned around at the sound.

"Yes?"

"In just a few minutes, the students will be arriving, and the new semester's feast will begin."

"Thanks for reminding me."

"You're welcome."

Putting the books in their places delayed me a bit, and so when I approached the great hall, the other students were already gathered there - just enough time for them to leave their outerwear in the common rooms and their rooms. Hermione stepped out of the crowd and was immediately beside me.

"Hi," the girl smiled, giving me an immediate hug. I couldn't help but smile and reply.

"Hi. How was your vacation?"

"Just great! Let's hurry up and go to the hall. Honestly, I'm hungry. You can't imagine how much."

The students who had arrived from vacation were expressing their happiness in every way possible because there were no Dementors. Noise and happy faces everywhere. Everyone talked about some story that had happened to them over the vacations or how they'd spent the holiday with their relatives. Even the Slytherins, always strict about themselves and their table manners, were much more open. And in the heat of brainstorming, I didn't even notice how those necro-monsters flew back to Azkaban.

"Max, you have no idea how glad I am," Hermione smiled as she put all sorts of meat on her plate.

"Yeah?" I love meat too, and I'm keeping up with my friend's portion size.

"Of course," Hermione nodded confidently and with a smile. "Don't you feel it? It's even easier to breathe when the Dementors aren't around. Now we can study and train without any problems."

"You did it without any problem with the Dementors, too. Even with more enthusiasm."

"That's not it," Hermione chewed on a piece of chop. "Previously, it was as if from despair. No enthusiasm. It's different, and the results are a little different too."

"I can't argue with that."

After satisfying the first hunger, we slowed down and ate more measuredly, leaving pauses for conversation - an hour was allotted for this feast anyway.

"Why don't you tell me what happened at Hogwarts while I was gone?"

"Well, I don't know all the details, but after Christmas, there was a terrible panic. From what I understand, Black snuck back into the castle. But, apparently," I waved my hand in the air, "this problem was solved on its own, and the next morning the headmaster said that Black, it turns out, didn't need Harry at all. Also, he had nothing to do with any Hogwarts student or professor. He had his own business here."

"Even so?"

"It's generally better to discuss this in a quiet environment."

We were sitting next to each other, and no one cared about our conversations, so if quietly, we could. But not about everything.

"Got it. Listen, why are Ron and Harry looking suspiciously in our direction? I'd even say at you."

"Well, you know my parents, right?"

"Uh-oh, I see."

As the feast came to an end, Dumbledore took the floor and congratulated everyone on the successful resolution of the situation regarding Black and the departure of the Dementors back to Azkaban. Good luck with your studies, and go to your beds! Nothing new, really.

For almost the first time this school year, the senior courses decided to throw a party in the common room, having managed to change into looser clothes, so to speak, not according to the dress code. Not without the help of the twins who brought in the contraband. Hermione and I settled down on our couch, which no one ever pays attention to - third-year students are no longer chased to their bedrooms at bedtime. The others were enjoying the absence of mental pressure, sipping Butterbeer, bragging about the joking spells they'd learned, conjuring up various vivid special effects. The twins were handing out all kinds of incomprehensible sweets that did all kinds of transformative, color-changing nonsense to their students without any consequences.

Hermione took her wand out of the sleeve of her robe and waved it briefly, whispering a spell with just her lips. The air around us seemed to float for a second, and everything went back to normal, only the sounds were a little muffled and as if under water.

"Tell me," she turned to me half-turned.